China's June exports exceeded analyst expectations, rising 2.8 per cent from a year earlier, while imports fell by 6.1 per cent, both figures handily beating forecasts.

The totals left the country with a trade surplus of $46.54 billion for the month, the General Administration of Customs said on Monday, compared with a poll forecast of $55.7 billion.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected exports to fall by 0.2 per cent, and predicted imports would fall by 15.0 per cent.